passive house

The seven deadly sins of residential architecture

The seven deadly sins of residential architecture

Architecture & Design / Features / Ben Caine

March 20, 2023.


Architect and sustainable housing expert Ben Caine cautions homeowners about various pitfalls to consider when choosing an architect or designer to deliver their new home or renovation.

How an ancient design technique could help us survive extreme heat, no AC needed

How an ancient design technique could help us survive extreme heat, no AC needed

Fast Company Magazine July 2021

by Nate Berg

Architects around the world are designing solutions to increasing temperatures and more frequent heat waves. New materials, advanced heat modeling techniques, and some longstanding design principles are showing that even when temperatures hit unexpected peaks, our homes and buildings will be able to stay cool without consuming huge amounts of energy.

Ben Caine is an architect in Perth, Australia, who designs homes to meet the Passive House standard, and he says that some of the lighter exterior and insulation materials commonly used on Passive House projects are still hard to get in Australia.